One in ten Dutch 12-year-olds has tried vaping; Government launches national crackdown
A new government-commissioned study has revealed alarming trends in youth vaping in the Netherlands, prompting State Secretary for Prevention Vincent Karremans to launch a nationwide anti-vaping campaign on Monday. The campaign, titled Nee tegen vapen (“No to Vaping”), aims to raise awareness among parents and encourage early conversations with children about the severe health risks linked to vaping.
The study, conducted by research firm Motivaction on behalf of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, shows that one in ten 12-year-olds in the Netherlands has already used a vape. Among children aged 12 to 16 who vape, nearly 40 percent say they are addicted. One in three self-identified addicted teens reported using vapes daily.
“This shows how serious the problem really is,” Karremans said. “Vapes often contain extremely high levels of nicotine — sometimes up to 400 times the amount in a regular cigarette. So even trying it once is very risky.”
The study included responses from 760 children between the ages of 12 and 16 and 1,064 parents. According to the data, one in seven young people has difficulty saying no when offered a vape. One in six teens reported feeling pressured to try vaping.
Karremans’ campaign urges parents to talk to their children at an early age about the dangers of vaping. “It’s not just toxic,” he said. “It disrupts brain development and is highly addictive.” The government’s online campaign will go live Monday at neetegenvapen.nl, accompanied by radio spots across the country.
Pulmonologists and addiction experts are warning that vaping is leading to more serious health consequences. Long doctors are seeing increasing numbers of young patients hospitalized with collapsed lungs, pneumonia, and even chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) due to e-cigarette use.
Just days before the campaign launch, RTL Nieuws reported that at least five individuals have been hospitalized in recent months in critical condition due to vaping.
Pulmonologist Wanda de Kanter said the neurological damage from vaping can be permanent in young users. “Because of the high dose of nicotine, vaping irreversibly destroys the child’s brain,” she told Het Parool. “It makes you experience a dopamine rush — the reward hormone — to the maximum. You think: I want that again! Meanwhile, the other side of the brain — long-term planning — switches off.”
The result, according to De Kanter, is a teenager who no longer cares about the consequences. “That’s why many of them also become addicted to cigarettes and other crap,” she said.
She called the situation “deeply concerning,” especially given the scale of the black market in vapes. “There is an unbelievable amount of illegal trade surrounding vapes,” she said.
De Kanter welcomed the government’s campaign but called for stronger enforcement measures. “Applause for Karremans for taking action. But the ministry needs to get more creative with its solutions,” she told Het Parool. “We need to now reduce the number of vape retail locations. Otherwise, the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority will not be able to keep up with enforcement.”
Henk Kramer, chair of the Dutch association of pulmonologists, also welcomed the campaign. “It’s great that Karremans is launching this,” he said. However, Kramer questioned whether the campaign alone would be effective. “It’s absurd that these kinds of toxic things are even allowed in the Netherlands,” he told Het Parool.
Kramer advocates for a total ban on vapes, combined with strict enforcement. He emphasized that merely reducing the number of shops selling vapes will not solve the issue, due to the vast illegal trade.
De Kanter agreed. “I understand that a complete ban is difficult for the government to implement,” she told Het Parool. “But treating lung cancer is also difficult.”
